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LINDSEY
Wouldn't make it on the circle's radar until he killed one of his
lieutenants.

Cut to:

3 INT. SECRET CHAMBER - NIGHT
Angel steps back and twists Drogyn's head until his neck breaks. Angel pushes
Drogyn's body to the floor. A robed, masked demon offers his hand to Angel.

DEMON
Welcome to the fold.
(Angel shakes hands)

Cut to:

4 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY
The gang is surrounding Angel now, each armed: Gunn with a sword, Spike
with his fists, Wesley with a shotgun, and Lorne with a crossbow.

GUNN
We know what you've been doing.

Angel grabs Wes's shotgun barrel and pushes it away from him while
kicking Wesley to the ground. Spike charges Angel, but Angel punches him
first. Gunn raises his sword, but Angel blocks his swing and hits him
in the head with the barrel of the shotgun. Lorne points his crossbow
at Angel and fires a shot, hitting Angel in the shoulder. Angel drops
the shotgun. Angel grabs Lorne around the neck and holds him as a hostage.

ANGEL
(pulls a crystal out of his pocket, holds it out in front of him)
Involvere.
(the crystal glows and sends a force throughout the entire room)
(lets go of Lorne)
All right, we have 6 minutes.

SPIKE
'Til what?

ANGEL
The glamour collapses.

Cut to:

4a EXT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY
Zoom out past the glamour, to show what those on the outside looking
in would see. Continue zooming out to show that Marcus Hamilton
is standing outside Angel's office, watching them through the window.

ANGEL (V.O.)
As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, we're still
at each other's throats.

Cut to:

4b INT. SECRET CHAMBER - NIGHT
The lights go up in the room, and the robed demons remove their
masks. Many of the demons Angel has encountered this season are
there, including Archduke Sebassis, Cyvus Vail, Senator Brucker,
and others.

ANGEL (V.O.)
I'm talking about killing every single member of the Black
Thorn.

Cut to:

ANGEL
You need to decide for yourselves if that's worth dying for.

Everyone's got a serious look on their faces.

SPIKE
(raises his hand)
I'm in.

WESLEY
(looks at Angel)
I'm in.

As the camera zooms out slowly, show Gunn and finally Lorne raise
their hands.

5 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY
Resume. Angel has just asked everyone to vote on taking on the members of
the Circle of the Black Thorn.

ANGEL
Then we're all agreed.

SPIKE
Yeah, we're all one big happy Manson family.

GUNN
We taking 'em all at once?

ANGEL
Can't. Circle of the Black Thorn is the most powerful group in this
plane of existence. Together, they'd vaporize us, but separated, they're
just demons.

WESLEY
(having retrieved his shotgun, slings it over his shoulder and walks
toward Angel)
When do we make our move?
(Angel hands his pistol back to Wesley)

ANGEL
Soon. In the meantime, we have to keep up the infighting. The circle
needs to believe we're coming apart at the seams.

GUNN
What about Illyria?

ANGEL
(crosses his arms)
What about her?

GUNN
Move like this, wouldn't hate having Blue Thunder in our corner.

ANGEL
Can't trust she'll come down on our side.

LORNE
Trust me, she's housebroken. She was babysitting Drogyn

ANGEL
She was with Drogyn?

SPIKE
Relax. The two of them were getting on well enough.

ANGEL
You have to get over there now.

WESLEY
Why? What is it?

ANGEL
Drogyn's dead.

SPIKE
(angrily, walks up to Angel)
And how do you know that, Kreskin?

ANGEL
Because I killed him.

SPIKE
What?
(Angel punches Spike in the face)
Ow! You son of a
(swings at Angel, misses)

Angel grabs Spike around the throat as Hamilton walks in through the
office door.

HAMILTON
Sorry. Didn't know you were... in conference.

ANGEL
I was just making a closing statement...
(lets go of Spike, pushes him toward the door)
...unless somebody didn't hear me.
(Gunn, Spike, and Lorne file out the door; Angel stops Wes on his
way out)
Goes for you, too, Wes. Illyria's your responsibility. Make sure she
doesn't get twitchy.
(closes the door behind the others)

HAMILTON
Well, you've got yourself a problem.

ANGEL
Nothing you have to worry about.

HAMILTON
Oh, not me. Your new friends. The Black Thorn. They're very concerned.

ANGEL
Tell them to send me a memo. I'm busy trying to run a business.
(sits at his desk)

HAMILTON
You can tell them yourself. They want to see you right now.
(grins, turns toward the door)
No rest for the wicked.

Fade to black.

Opening credits.

ACT I:

6 INT. SPIKE'S BASEMENT APARTMENT - DAY
Spike, Gunn, Lorne and Wesley come back to Spike's apartment to find it
trashed. Illyria is lying face-down, unconscious on the floor.

WESLEY
(rushes to her side)
Illyria.
(turns her to face him)

SPIKE
(he and Gunn crouch around Illyria)
Bloody hell.

WESLEY
Illyria, can you hear me?
(she opens her eyes and nods faintly; Wes pulls her into his arms,
holding her to his chest)

SPIKE
Who did this to you?

ILLYRIA
It was Hamilton. Took Drogyn.

LORNE
Straight to his buddy Angel. I'm telling you, our fearless leader
has fearlessly lost it. There's no part of this that makes any sense.
We could be next.

GUNN
I don't think we're being monitored here.

LORNE
I'm not playing to the crowd, Gunn. I tell you, I still don't trust
the man.

GUNN
(stands)
We don't have to trust him. We just gotta pray the Black Circle does.

Cut to:

7 INT. SECRET CHAMBER - DAY
In the secret meeting chamber of the Circle of the Black Thorn, the members
gather to begin a meeting.

CIRCLE MEMBERS
(chanting in unison)
Of the world's woe, now convene. All is bound by the circle and its
thorns. Invisible, inviolate, we, the seeds of the storm, at the center
of the world's woe, now convene.

SEBASSIS
(drinking a blue liquid from a champagne flute)
(to Angel) The circle does not abide secrets.

ANGEL
Which is interesting for a secret society.

SEBASSIS
Remember your place, vampire.
(claps quickly)

ANGEL
My place is in the circle.

SEBASSIS
This morning's insurrection did not go unnoticed.

ANGEL
You mean my people.

SEBASSIS
They tried to kill you. An embarrassing affront, to say the least.

VAIL
And the stepping stone to disaster. You have ascended, Angel. You
should not be burdened with this kind of
(gasps, checks his tubes)
Aah!
(notices the scrawny, pale slave wearing a blindfold and tripping
over Vail's tubes)
Sebassis! Your manservant has become tangled in my bodily fluids again!

Izzy produces a cylindrical document holder, pulls a document out
of it, and unrolls it on the table in front of Angel.

ANGEL
This is the Shanshu Prophecy.

SEBASSIS
The original.

SENATOR
The vampire with a soul will play a pivotal role in the apocalypse.

VAIL
And as a reward, will become human.

SEBASSIS
A paranoid person might think you're trying to manipulate us in an
attempt to fulfill this prophecy.

ANGEL
I have no desire to become human.

SEBASSIS
Oh, good. Then you won't mind signing that pesky future away. Through
that document, the prophecy can be undone. Your signature there will
remove any opportunity that you will ever earn your once-precious
humanity. Will you sign it?

IZZY
(grabs the pen from Angel, stabs him in the left hand with it)
It's gotta be signed in blood.

Angel grunts as he pulls the pen out of the back of his hand. He signs
his name on the top of the document with his right hand.

Cut to:

8 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY
Angel is standing in his office alone, staring out the window, when Harmony
walks in.

HARMONY
Um...Angel? Just wondering where everybody is.

ANGEL
You ever miss it? You were turned, what... 5 years ago?

HARMONY
Oh, that. Yeah. Graduation night. I don't know. It's weird. Part of
me always knew life would end after high school. I was very popular,
you know. The whole "golden years" thing.

ANGEL
I don't remember what it was like... being human. It was too long
ago.

HARMONY
(shrugs)
Not so great. Zits. Dandruff. Mortality. Although I do remember...
my heart.
(smiles)
And the way it would thump when I kissed a really hot boy for the
first time.
(nods)
That was cool. Angel? Something's going down, isn't it? And everybody's
in on it except me.

ANGEL
You're not a part of this.

HARMONY
I could be. I'm your assistant, after all. I could, I don't know...
assist you or something.

ANGEL
Hamilton.

HARMONY
Hamilton?

ANGEL
(walks over to his desk)
Need to get some things done, pay a quiet visit to Archduke Sebassis.
I'd like to keep our liaison out of the loop.

HARMONY
Out of the loop? That's where I live.

ANGEL
Distract him. I don't care how. Throw some punches at him, some files.
Just keep him busy for as long as you can.
(walks toward the door)

HARMONY
What are you going to do now?

ANGEL
One more thing I don't want to.

Cut to:

9 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Angel is meeting with Lindsey. Angel's pacing. Lindsey is sitting at the
conference table.

LINDSEY
You gotta be joking. Why on God's green and verdant Earth would I
trust you, huh? Or you, me?

ANGEL
'Cause it's not about us, Lindsey. It's about them. The wolf. The
ram. The hart. The ones we've been fighting against forever.

LINDSEY
You can't beat 'em.

ANGEL
Maybe they're not there to be beat. Maybe they're there to be fought.
Maybe fighting them is what makes human beings so remarkably strong.

LINDSEY
(stands)
You're not talking about the kind of strength human beings have.
(sits on the edge of the table)
This is not about coveting your neighbor's ass, your buddy's job,
the last Mallomar in the box. You're talking about fighting flesh
and something that passes for blood demons with enormous power, and
they will mow you down.

ANGEL
Maybe... but I keep thinking that once this world was theirs and now
it's not.

LINDSEY
Isn't it?

ANGEL
Give me the hell on Earth speech, Lindsey. I know how bad things are,
how much sway the demons hold. I happen to be the greatest mass murderer
you've ever met.

LINDSEY
Never given you props for that, have I?

ANGEL
There's always going to be power, and there's always going to be corruption.

LINDSEY
So again I ask you

ANGEL
'Cause it's not what I'm expected to do. 'Cause you're good in a fight.
And let's say we come up rolling 7s and this does go our way. We tear
up this firm, someone's going to have to step in. I know that's what
you want. Now, I'm a lot more comfortable with the thought of you
in that position than anyone else.

LINDSEY
The devil you know.

ANGEL
That'd be you.

LINDSEY
And what if you roll snake eyes?

ANGEL
You'll talk your way out of it. You'll tell them I forced you to help
me. Tell them I made my scary face.

LINDSEY
Believe it or not, I was actually talking about you. You don't care
about being squashed like a bug?

ANGEL
You haven't heard a word I've said. For, like, years back.

LINDSEY
Well, you get a little speechy, all right? And I breeze out. I got
the Cliff Noteshonor and humanity. Absolute good. I heard it.
So here's the plot twistI'm in.

ANGEL
Why?

LINDSEY
Everybody goes on about your soul. Vampire with a soul. Nobody ever
mentions the fact that you're really a vampire with big brass testes.
This is gonna be a circus. I mean, win or lose, you're about to pick
the nastiest fight since mankind drop-kicked the last demon out of
this dimension. And that you don't do without me. If you want me,
I'm on your team.

ANGEL
I want you, Lindsey.
(beat)
I'm thinking about rephrasing that.

LINDSEY
Yeah, I think I'd be more comfortable if you did.
(turns away)

Cut to:

10 INT. SPIKE'S BASEMENT APARTMENT - DAY
Wesley, Spike and Gunn are standing in a circle, talking, while Lorne sits
in a chair in the corner, watching Illyria.

GUNN
How's she doing?

WESLEY
She needs more care than I can provide here. I have to get some supplies
from home. Watch over her for me.
(grabs his coat)

SPIKE
Fat lotta good that's gonna do if Hamilton decides to make another
house call.

ANGEL
Hamilton did this?

LORNE
You didn't know?

ANGEL
He brought Drogyn.

WESLEY
To the circle... so you could kill him to prove you'd gone over.

LORNE
Yeah. Say, any other tips on how to be a hero we could share with
the boys and girls at home?

ANGEL
I didn't have a choice. They would have killed us both

GUNN
We get it. We'd just like to know if they're gonna need any of the
rest of us as proof.

SPIKE
Pick us off one by one, you know.

ANGEL
No, they won't. We're killing them all tonight.

Fade to black.

ACT II:

11 INT. SPIKE'S BASEMENT APARTMENT - DAY
Resume. Angel has just told Wesley, Lorne, Spike, Gunn and Illyria that
he plans to take out the members of the Black Circle tonight.

ANGEL
I want you all to do something for me, for yourselves. Take the day
off.

SPIKE
What?

GUNN
Angel, if we're planning to assassinate the power elite of the apocalypse
tonight, shouldn't we be cowboying up?

ANGEL
We'll be ready, but today, I want you guys to go out. Live. Do whatever
you want.

Cut to:

12 INT. CARITAS KARAOKE NIGHT CLUB - DAY
A microphone stands on stage waiting for a performer to take his place in
front of it.

ANGEL (V.O.)
Live the day like it's your last... 'cause it probably is.

LORNE
(steps up to the microphone holding a drink, sits on the stool, starts
singing)
If I ruled the world,
Every day would be the first day of spring,
Every heart would have a new song to sing,
And we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring...

Cut to:

13 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Angel stands in a stairwell for a moment before finally walking out into
the main area of the coffee shop. He walks up to a table where someone is
studying.

ANGEL
Hi.

Connor looks up from his books

Cut to:

14 INT. BAR - DAY
Someone is sitting at a bar, finishing a beer. He picks up a shot of whiskey.
Pan out to reveal it's Spike. He gestures "cheers" to the bartender
before shooting the whiskey down. Someone bumps into Spike, pushing him
into the large biker-type standing next to him. The man glares meanly at
Spike.

SPIKE
Ahh. Nice crowd.

BARTENDER
(refills Spike's whiskey glass)
It can get pretty ugly in here, I gotta warn you.

SPIKE
(drinks the shot)
What I'm after. Couple more shots of courage, and I may make my presence
felt.

BARTENDER
(refills Spike's whiskey glass)
Your funeral.

SPIKE
Well, I never had a proper one.
(grins, drinks the shot)

Cut to:

15 EXT. EAST HILLS TEEN CENTER - DAY
Outside the East Hills Teen Center, a blonde woman coordinates packing a
truck with boxes and furniture with the help of a couple young men.

ANNIE
(sees Gunn walking up the street)
Charles.

GUNN
Annie.
(they hug)
How you doing?

ANNIE
Pretty good, I guess. We got a bunch of furniture donated. Gotta move
this stuff to the new shelter.

GUNN
Still fighting the good fight, huh?

ANNIE
That's the drill. How are things uptown?

GUNN
More fight, less good.
(grabs a box)
Seen Rondell or the guys? I hit some of the old spots. Didn't see
anyone.

ANNIE
(grabs a chair)
They should be around. They said they'd help me haul this stuff. You
know how it is, though. Things come up.
(Gunn and Annie hand the box and chair to the men on the truck)

GUNN
Yeah. You got much vamp trouble these days?

ANNIE
(chuckles)
Never goes away for good. The boys help out, though. We're pretty
safe. It gives me time to concentrate on the little things. Crack,
runaways, abuse victims, psychotics. The old gang.
(she and Gunn pick up another box each, carrying it to the truck)

GUNN
Yeah, I remember.

ANNIE
It's not so bad. We've had some really decent donations, and it's
helping.
(they hand off the boxes to the men on the truck)
We actually have a part-time paid psychiatric staff.

GUNN
What if I told you it doesn't help? What would you do if you found
out that none of it matters?
That it's all controlled by forces more powerful and uncaring than
we can conceive, and they will never let it get better down here.
What would you do?

ANNIE
I'd get this truck packed before the new stuff gets here.
(Gunn nods)
Wanna give me a hand?

GUNN
I do.
(they each take one end of a couch)
1, 2, 3!
(they each lift their end of the couch and bring it to the truck)

Cut to:

16 INT. SPIKE'S BASEMENT APARTMENT - DAY
Wesley is grinding something into a paste in a mortar and pestle, mumbling
to himself while doing so. Illyria is sitting behind him on the edge of
the bed.

ILLYRIA
I don't understand.

WESLEY
It'll help you heal faster.
(shakes the paste off the pestle, sets it aside)
If you really plan to join us in this fight
(grabs a strip of muslin and dredges it in the paste)

ILLYRIA
I will fight. I've been broken and humiliated. I will return in kind
every blow, every sting. I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes
out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces.

WESLEY
(pulls the strip out of the paste and walks with it toward Illyria)
You're a very inspirational person. Have I mentioned that?
(brushes her hair away from her neck)

ILLYRIA
You are what I don't understand.

WESLEY
And that would be different because?
(presses the strip to Illyria's skin)

ILLYRIA
Angel told you to do whatever you wanted. Today... tonight, you may
all be dead.

WESLEY
(prepares another bandage)
Don't I go off and have one last perfect day? Smell the flowers, or
sky-dive, or have a go with Mistress Spanks-A-Lot... or whatever the
hell one is supposed to do in this situation.
(places another bandage on Illyria's neck)

ILLYRIA
Mistress who?

WESLEY
There is no perfect day for me, Illyria. There is no sunset or painting
or finely-aged scotch that's going to sum up my life and make tonight
any... There is nothing that I want.

ILLYRIA
You want to be with Fred.

WESLEY
(finishes bandaging Illyria, wipes his hands on a hand towel)
Yes. Yes, that's where I'd be if I could.

ILLYRIA
I could assume her shape, make her come alive again this once for
you.
(looks down)
But you would never ask me to.

WESLEY
The first lesson a watcher learns is to separate truth from illusion.
Because in the world of magics, it's the hardest thing to do. The
truth is that Fred is gone. To pretend anything else would be a lie.
And since I don't actually intend to die tonight, I won't accept a
lie. Is it better?

ILLYRIA
(touches her neck)
It's better.

Cut to:

17 INT. BAR - DAY
Spike is sitting on a stool on a stage, talking into a hand-held microphone.
The spotlight is on him as he performs a poetry reading. Behind him is a
sign that reads "Poetry Slam, Thursdays 4:00". Holding the mic
in his left hand, he's got his right hand draped over the mic stand, holding
a glass of whiskey in his fingertips. The audience is silent.

SPIKE
(standing, smiling)
Thank you. That was for Cecily. All right. This next one's called
"The Wanton Folly of Me Mum."

Cut to:

18 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Angel's sitting across the table from Connor now. They're in the middle
of a conversation.

CONNOR
So she's a werewolf.

ANGEL
And an art student. She does this great pottery. She made me a vase.

CONNOR
But it's the wolf part that Jones's you. There's some full-moon love,
am I right? Fur flying.

ANGEL
(staring at Connor, unsure how to react)
Huh?

CONNOR
So vampires really don't understand the concept of jokes.

ANGEL
I understand jokes. I was at the first taping of the Carol Burnett
show. Tim Conway was on fire. It was special.

CONNORR
I know you're my father.

ANGEL
(looks down, uncomfortably)
You got your memories back.

CONNOR
Yeah, they're mixed in there with the new ones. Kind of like, uh...
a bad dream I had, I guess, a very strange and violent, at times,
inappropriately erotic...dream.

ANGEL
You probably have a lot of questions.

CONNOR
(shakes his head)
No. I don't want to make a thing. I get what you did. You know...
I'm grateful. That's as far as I want to take it...OK?

ANGEL
(breathes deeply, looks at the papers on the table)
So, what are you working on?

CONNOR
I am applying for an internship. I'm supposed to write up a resume.

ANGEL
Need any help?

CONNOR
Have you ever written a resume before? Ever?

ANGEL
No... but I have very nice handwriting.

ANGEL
You girl.

Cut to:

19 INT. CORPORATE APARTMENT - DAY
Lindsey and Eve are making out on a couch.

LINDSEY
What are you thinking about?

EVE
Angel.

LINDSEY
(stares away)
You simply couldn't have said a worse thing than that.

EVE
(sits up)
Well, you know what I mean.

LINDSEY
I do. It's nice to know you're one of the few things in my life he
didn't get his mitts on, you know?

EVE
I don't believe Angel trusts you.

LINDSEY
It ain't about that, love. It's about what he needs, and right now,
he needs every hand he can get. As long as I'm fighting on his side,
he'll play me fair. When the smoke clears, then we'll see where we
stand.

EVE
You sure you can handle the Sahrvins?

LINDSEY
They're sending me in with karaoke boy. How tough can they be?

EVE
With Lorne?

LINDSEY
(puts his arms around Eve)
What's up? You worried about his reading? Said your future's gonna
be crappy? He's probably telling you that just to mess with you.

EVE
Yeah, probably.

LINDSEY
If this thing does go down, I want you to stay the hell away from
it. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Damn, girl, you gave
up immortality for me. It's like something out of a fairy tale.

EVE
We don't live in a fairy tale.

Lindsey kisses Eve.

Cut to:

20 INT. SPIKE'S BASEMENT APARTMENT - NIGHT
The gang has reassembled in Spike's apartment. Wesley, Spike and Gunn are
sitting down while Angel paces the floor. Illyria is standing behind Wesley.
Lorne is sitting on the edge of a table off to the side.

ANGEL
This may come out a little pretentious, but... one of you will betray
me.
(Spike raises his hands eagerly)
Wes.

SPIKE
Oh.
(puts his hand down, then suddenly hopeful)
Can I deny you 3 times?

ANGEL
Vail is the sorcerer of the bunch. You know that game. You've seen
his place.

ANGEL
(shakes his head)
The alley just north of the Hyperion. Everyone who makes it meets
there. If we do any damage at all, the senior partners are gonna rain
hell on us. So be ready.

LORNE
(pulling Angel aside)
Hey, Ange, uh, I'll do this last thing for you, for us... but then
I'm out, and you won't find me in the alley afterwards. Hell, you
won't find me at all. Do me a favor. Don't try.
(walks out)

Wesley grabs his coat and walks toward the door with Gunn and Illyria.

Wesley looks at Angel for a long moment before he walks out. Illyria
follows. Spike and Angel are the only ones left in the apartment now.

SPIKE
(walks up to Angel)
What do you think all this means for that Shanshu bugaboo? If we make
it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?

ANGEL
(crosses his arms)
Who you kidding? We're not gonna make it through.

SPIKE
Well, long as it's not you.

Cut to:

23 INT. CYVUS VAIL'S MANSION - NIGHT
Cyvus Vail is eating a bowl of soup (that resembles chopped up internal
organs in a broth of blood) at one end of the long formal dinner table.
Wesley is sitting at the opposite end of the table.

VAIL
I'm curious.
(slurps a spoonful of soup)
Mmm. What makes you think I won't kill you where you sit?

WESLEY
Because you're smarter than the others.
(Vail wipes the corners of his mouth with his napkin)
Smart enough to have your doubts about Angel, and rightly so. He's...unpredictable,
and worse, he has a conscience.

VAIL
Well, you make a very persuasive argument.

WESLEY
Wait. It gets better.

Zoom in on Wesley's hand, hidden below the tabletop. He opens up his
hand, and a fireball starts to form in his palm.

Cut to:

24 INT. LAIR OF THE FELL BRETHREN - NIGHT
Three hooded figures walk down the hallway. When the baby starts crying
nearby, one of the hooded men stops to locate the baby. It's Spike.

Cut to:

25 INT. SENATOR BRUCKER'S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
The Senator is sitting at her desk, talking on the phone. Other workers
in her office are keeping busy.

SENATOR
(talking on the phone)
I can't officially comment on that, but off the record, if Mr. Conley's
recent confession is true, then he's a very sick man who needs professional
help.
(turns to face away from the door)
One of the goals of my next term in Washington is stronger federal
guidelines.

Gunn walks in, unseen by the Senator, but noticed by others who work
in the office. One of the workers swings at Gunn, who ducks and punches
back.

Cut to:

26 INT. SAHRVIN LAIR - NIGHT
The Sahrvin are scattered about the room. Some are smoking a hookah pipe
and others are drinking and talking. Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere of
the room is disrupted by a loud bang. A man pushes a Sahrvin through the
door, busting it down. It's Lindsey.

Cut to:

27 EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT
Izzy and three other people walk to their car parked on the side of the
street. They all get in the car. Izzy puts on his seatbelt, starts the engine,
and turns on the headlights. When he looks up, he sees Illyria standing
in front of the car. She looks at them, cocking her head with curiosity.

Cut to:

28 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT
Angel steps off the elevator into the lobby, where Harmony is waiting at
her desk.

ANGEL
Harmony, where's Hamilton?

HARMONY
(stands)
Records room. I've been keeping him busy like you said.

HARMONY
(smiles, writes something down in her notebook)
No problemo, boss.

Cut to:

29 INT. ANGEL'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT
Angel steps off the private elevator into his apartment. He makes a beeline
for a fancy wooden box on the table; he opens it and takes out a knife with
a curved blade. While examining the knife, Angel hears a door close behind
him. Hamilton has just walked in.

HAMILTON
Going out?

ANGEL
Why? You wanna order in?

HAMILTON
(walking slowly toward Angel)
I hear you already have plans. Gonna take that when you visit Sebassis?
Why don't I think that's a gift?

Hamilton punches Angel immensely hard, sending him through the penthouse
windows, where Angel falls outside for a few stories before finally falling
through the glass ceiling into the lobby.

Cut to:

30 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT
Angel finally lands on the floor in front of the elevator. Harmony turns
to see what happened. Angel moans as he tries to get to his feet.

HARMONY
Oh, is that right? I'll have you know I am damn loyal, dumbass.
(crosses her arms)

ANGEL
(walks slowly, painfully toward her)
You betrayed me. You are betraying me now, even as we are talking.

HARMONY
(raising her voice)
Because you never have any confidence in me.

ANGEL
No, because you have no soul.

HARMONY
I would if you had confidence in me.

Hamilton is on his way down in the private elevator.

ANGEL
Get out of the building.

HARMONY
Are you firing me?

ANGEL
Among other things, yes.

HARMONY
(meekly)
Do you think I could get a recommendation?

ANGEL
Yeah, OK.

HARMONY
But see, if you don't so much live as the other thing, how

ANGEL
It's already in the desk.

HARMONY
(excited)
You're the best.
(goes to the desk to get her things)
(Hamilton walks out of Angel's office, slowly heading straight for
Angel)
Good luck. Um... may the best man win?
(shrugs, exits)

HAMILTON
(staring at Angel)
So.

ANGEL
Yeah.
(punches Hamilton hard in the stomach, but doesn't make a dent)
(sighs)
Did that hurt at all?

HAMILTON
Little bit.
(grabs Angel by the windpipe; Angel winces as he's lifted off the
ground)
But it's all part of the job.
(throws Angel across the room so hard that Angel shatters a support
post, going right through it)

Fade to black.

ACT IV:

31 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT
Resume. Hamilton is confronting Angel in the lobby of Wolfram & Hart
after discovering that Angel is turning on the Black Circle.

HAMILTON
(picks Angel up off the floor; holds him by the lapels)
The senior partners have expended an awful lot of time and resources
on you. Personally, I would have told them not to bother.
(throws Angel across the lobby again, where he crashes into the company
logo on the balcony)
(walks upstairs toward Angel)
You're gutter trash, and that's where you should have stayed, drinking
and whoring your way through an unremarkable life. But the fates stepped
in and made you a vampire, with a soul, no less. A champion. A hero
of the people. And yet, you still managed to fail everyone around
you. Doyle. Cordelia. Fred. They're all gone. Now it's time you followed.
(grabs Angel up out of the debris, looks into his face)
Did you really think you were gonna kill Archduke Sebassis?

ANGEL
No...I think I already did.

Cut to:

31a INT. SEBASSIS'S MANSION - NIGHT
Flashback to the scene with Archduke Sebassis in his bubble bath.
His servant has just prepared a glass of blue blood for him, and
the Archduke sips it. Sebassis notices that it tastes funny, and
he turns to look at his servant, but the servant has collapsed to
the floor, bleeding from his mouth.

Cut to:

31b INT. SECRET CHAMBER - DAY
Flashback to the meeting of the Black Circle earlier, where Angel
turned his ring right before pushing Sebassis's slave away from
Vail.

ANGEL (V.O.)
I spiked his drink.

When Angel brings his hand away from the slave, a close-up
of his hand reveals that there was a tiny needle sticking out
from the ring. That's what caused the slave to squeal when Angel
pushed him away.

Hamilton throws Angel off the balcony. He lands on the floor of the
lobby.

Cut to:

32 INT. LAIR OF THE FELL BRETHREN - NIGHT
The baby is cooing in his crib as Spike approaches him, still disguised
in the hooded robe of the Fell Brethren.

SPIKE
Hello, Junior. The name's Spike.
(picks up the baby)
And lucky for you, I'm on a strict diet.

When Spike turns to leave with the baby, he's faced with three of
the Fell Brethren standing in the doorway.

FELL LEADER
Place the holy vessel back in the bassinet.

Spike looks at the baby, who even seems to shake his head "no",
then looks back at the Fell.

SPIKE
(sighs)
Right.

Spike shrugs off the robe and fights off the brothers' attack while
still holding the baby.

Cut to:

33 INT. SAHRVIN LAIR - NIGHT
Lindsey, too, is engages in a fight with his demons, wielding a sword as
he mows down one after another of the Sahrvins.

Cut to:

34 INT. CYVUS VAIL'S MANSION - NIGHT
Wesley slings Cyvus's body across the dining room where he hits a wall and
slides down into a pile on the floor. Wesley walks slowly toward him.

WESLEY
Your influence on this world is over. The rest of the Circle will
wither and die...
(forms another fireball in his palm)
like you're about to.

VAIL
You don't know who you're dealing with, do you, boy?
(groans as he gets to his feet)
(holds out his hand, summons Wes's fireball into his hand, and extinguishes
it)
I mean, really. I crap better magic than this. Now then, let me show
you what a real wizard can do.

Vail raises his hand and Wesley winces.

Cut to:

35 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT
Hamilton is pummeling Angel in the lobby, punching him repeatedly in the
face, but Angel manages to stay on his feet.

HAMILTON
Why do you keep fighting? You signed away your Shanshu. There's nothing
in it for you anymore.

ANGEL
(punches Hamilton in the face)
People who don't care about anything will never understand the people
who do.

HAMILTON
(punches Angel hard, sending him across the room again)
Yeah, but we won't care.

Angel writhes on the floor, groaning as Hamilton picks up a stake
off Harmony's desk. Hamilton walks over to Angel, kneels to pick Angel
up by the lapel as he rears back ready to plunge the stake into Angel's
chest. But before he can do it, someone punches him in the face, sending
him flying across the room away from Angel. Hamilton goes through a glass
wall, shattering it. Pan out to show it was Connor who punched him.

CONNOR
Care about that, dress-for-less?
(offers Angel a hand to get to his feet)

ANGEL
What the hell are you doing here?

CONNOR
Come on. You drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending?
Please.

Cut to:

36 INT. SENATOR BRUCKER'S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
The fighting in the Senator's office can't go unnoticed at this point. Gunn
has engaged nearly everyone else there, but the Senator remains on the phone,
unfazed. She snaps her fingers at the one vampire who is still sitting at
his desk computer instead of fighting off Gunn. The vampire goes for Gunn,
but Gunn stakes him instantly.

SENATOR
(on the phone)
The families are protected against pedophiles and other undesirables.
Even the United States govern

Gunn then turns his attention to the Senator as he reaches to grab
the axe from his back and hurls it at the Senator's head. It lands in
the middle of her forehead, cutting off her conversation in mid-sentence.
She collapses to the floor, still holding the phone to her ear.

GUNN
(to the remaining vampires)
Looks like you boys are gonna need to find a new candidate.
(the vampires encircle Gunn, growling)
And you wonder why folks don't vote.

Gunn straightens his arms, unfurling the stakes he had hidden up his
sleeves. He stakes the first one that attacks him, but has to fight off
the others with more difficulty.

Cut to:

37 EXT. LOS ANGELES STREET - NIGHT
Illyria is walking away from Izzy's car. The car's hood is smoking, the
roof has been smashed in violently, and there's blood stains on the ground
near the car doors.

39 INT. SAHRVIN LAIR - NIGHT
Lorne treads carefully as he walks around the former Sahrvin lair. The bloody
bodies of the demons litter the floor. Lorne looks sick as he takes it all
in. Lindsey is washing his hands at the sink.

40 INT. CYVUS VAIL'S MANSION - NIGHT
Wesley is grunting quietly in pain as he's held in the air by Vail's magic.

VAIL
(circling Wesley, scoffing)
Did you really think you had a shot at this? I can bend the very fabric
of reality to my will. Your parlor tricks could never kill me, boy.
(standing in front of Wesley, laughs)

WESLEY
(straining)
Then I'll just... have to do this... the old-fashioned way.
(takes out a switch-blade knife, pops the blade and tries to stab
Vail)

VAIL
(stops Wesley from stabbing him)
Yes... I suppose we will.
(summons a large knife from the wall to him and thrusts it into Wes's
stomach)

Wesley gasps as Vail turns the knife. Wesley conjures one more large
fireball in his palm, and it explodes, the force of it sending Vail across
the room into a wall, knocking him out, which releases Wesley from his
grip. Wesley falls, but lands on his feet. He stumbles and is about to
fall to the ground when Illyria rushes into the room. She catches him
in her arms and kneels beside him on the floor.

ILLYRIA
Wesley.
(inspects his wound)
This wound is mortal.

WESLEY
(he touches his wound)
Aren't we all?
(looks at her, smiles)
It was good... that you came.

ILLYRIA
I killed all mine, and I was...

WESLEY
Concerned?

ILLYRIA
I think so. But I can't help. You'll be dead within moments.

WESLEY
I know.

ILLYRIA
Would you like me to lie to you now?

WESLEY
(looks at her weakly)
Yes.
(closes his eyes in a slow, pained blink)
Thank you. Yes.
(opens his eyes to see Fred's face, her hand stroking his cheek)
Hello there.

FRED
(trying to smile through her tears)
Oh, Wesley. My Wesley.

WESLEY
Fred.
(whispering)
I've missed you.

FRED
(kisses his lips twice gently, sniffles, kisses his forehead)
It's gonna be OK. It won't hurt much longer, and then you'll be where
I am.
(crying)
We'll be together.

WESLEY
II love you.

FRED
(smiles through her tears)
I love you. My love. Oh, my love.

Wesley only stares motionless, lifeless in her arms. She lets him
go, gently placing his head on the floor. Illyria as Fred blinks slowly
and sighs through gritted teeth before getting to her feet. Vail is conscious
and on his feet again, standing behind Illyria.

VAIL
(approaching Illyria)
How very touching his meaningless death was, but this fight was never
for mortals.
(groans as Illyria turns to face him angrily, in the form of Fred)
Oh.
(chuckles)
Take your best shot, little girl.

Illyria swings a powerful punch at Vail's head, transforming her shape
from Fred to blue Illyria in mid-swing, ultimately shattering Vail's head
with the force of her swing.

Cut to:

41 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT
Connor and Angel have teamed up to fight Hamilton. They fight hand-to-hand,
kicking, punching, and so forth.

HAMILTON
(head-butts Connor)
What is with you people?
(throws Connor into the elevator doors, where he collapses to the
floor)

ANGEL
Connor!
(tries to go to Connor, but is blocked by Hamilton)

Angel tries to fight Hamilton but is instead thrown across the room
by him again. Angel lands on the concrete steps.

HAMILTON
(straightens his tie, walks toward Angel)
Let me say this as clearly as I can. You cannot beat me. I am a part
of them. The Wolf, Ram, and Hart. Their strength flows through my
veins. My blood is filled with their ancient power.

ANGEL
(gets to his feet, smirks)
Can you pick out the one word there you probably shouldn't have said?

Angel transforms into his vampire facade as he attacks Hamilton, biting
him painfully in the jugular. Angel drinks from him, holding on tenaciously
as Hamilton struggles to get free. Hamilton is finally able to pull Angel's
head away from his neck, and he throws him across the room again, but
this time Angel controls his motion, managing to rotate in the air and
land on his feet.

ANGEL
Wow.
(wipes his lip)
You really are full of it.
(Hamilton swings at Angel, but Angel ducks)
What was that you were saying about ancient power?

Hamilton throws another punch at Angel, but Angel catches his arm
and punches Hamilton in the ribs. Hamilton swings with his free arm, hitting
Angel in the face, but Angel returns the favor, punching Hamilton in the
face.

HAMILTON
(grabbing Angel's windpipe again, holding him in the air)
You don't really think you're gonna win this, do you? You don't stand
a chance. We are legion. We are forever.

Angel breaks free of Hamilton's grip and punches him repeatedly in
the chest and stomach. Hamilton stumbles backwards, and Angel sweep-kicks
him in the ankles, bringing Hamilton to the floor. Hamilton struggles
to get up.

ANGEL
(Hamilton gets to his knees, but Angel punches him in the face)
Then I guess forever...
(punches Hamilton in the face again, and again)
just got a hell of a lot shorter.

Finally, Angel punches Hamilton in the face so hard that it breaks
his neck. Hamilton falls to the ground with a final grunt. Angel sighs
as he stands over Hamilton. Connor gets to his feet.

CONNOR
Is he dead?

ANGEL
Yeah, he's dead.

The building starts shaking and rumbling. Windows are cracking. The
building is coming apart.

CONNOR
Uh, that's not good, is it?

ANGEL
Wolfram & Hart. Looks like they're taking the gloves off.

CONNOR
What do we do?

ANGEL
You go home.

CONNOR
Huh?

ANGEL
This is my fight.

CONNOR
That's some serious macho
(some of the building debris falls on him)
Aah!

The concrete support beam falls from the ceiling onto the lobby floor.

ANGEL
Go home...now.

CONNOR
They'll destroy you.

ANGEL
As long as you're OK, they can't.
(the building rumbles as yet another concrete ceiling joist falls,
crushing the balcony)
Go.

Connor looks at Angel before running down the hallway to leave. Angel
looks around as the building crumbles before his eyes. He goes into his
office to get Eve.

EVE
What the hell is going on?!

ANGEL
Looks like we're getting kicked out of the garden, Eve.

EVE
Where's Lindsey?
(Angel turns to go, but she grabs his arm)
Where is he?

ANGEL
He's not coming for you.

EVE
You

ANGEL
Time to go.
(walks away)

EVE
(shakes her head helplessly, watching him leave)
Go where?

Cut to:

42 EXT. ALLEY BEHIND THE HYPERION - NIGHT
Angel runs down the alley behind the Hyperion, carrying his sword, running
through the pouring rain (in a scene reminiscent of the last image in the
opening credits). When he gets to the chain-link fence at the end of the
alley, he looks around for the others, but doesn't see anyone. The sky thunders
above him as the heavy rain continues.

SPIKE (O.S.)
Boo.
(walks out from the shadows)

ANGEL
Anyone else?

SPIKE
Not so far. You feel the heat?

ANGEL
It's coming.

SPIKE
Finally got ourselves a decent brawl.

GUNN
(running down the street toward them, carrying his homemade battle-axe)
Damn! How did I know the fang boys would pull through?
(his steps become progressively less sure, weaker)
You're lucky we're on the same side, dogs, 'cause I was on fire tonight.
(weakly)
My game was tight.
(almost collapses, but Angel and Spike catch him, helping him to a
box on which he can sit down)

ILLYRIA
(jumps down from the chain-link fence to stand behind Angel)
Wesley's dead.
(Angel looks heartbroken; Gunn cries; Spike hangs his head)
I'm feeling grief for him.
(a crowd clamors in the background)
I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence.

SPIKE
(the noisy crowd is getting closer)
Well, wishes just happen to be horses today.

ANGEL
Among other things.

Angel looks at the approaching crowd. It's hundreds, if not thousands,
of demons of all sorts, shapes and sizes. A huge winged dragon flies angrily
toward them overhead.

GUNN
OK. You take the 30,000 on the left...

ILLYRIA
You're fading. You'll last 10 minutes at best.

GUNN
(stands)
Then let's make 'em memorable.

Angel steps forward and Spike, Gunn and Illyria follow. Spike is standing
off to Angel's right side. Angel is flanked a step behind by Gunn on the
right and Illyria on the left. They stare at the horde of demons approaching
them in the alley.